Portable hose reel dispensers for storage and dispensing of flexible water hoses, such as garden and air hoses, have gained wide public acceptance. While the construction of hose reels is quite varied, such reels are primarily constructed of molded plastic components having a centrally disposed retractable spool for reeling in and playing out of the flexible hose and a frame for supporting the spool. Recently there has been recognized a need for aesthetically pleasing hose reel storage devices. This need has been satisfied by the development of an enclosure for a hose mounted on a reel. These hose reel enclosures are located adjacent a water spigot and hide the unsightly garden hose from view.
Usually there are only a few water spigots positioned along the outside perimeter of the house. In order to provide water to all the portions of the yard which require watering, the garden hose must be extended in all directions from the spigot from one side thereof to the complete opposite side thereof. This presents a problem when the garden hose is stored in a hose reel enclosure. A garden hose is more readily played-out from and rewound back onto the reel when the garden hose extends substantially perpendicularly from the front panel than when it extends at a substantial angle to the front panel.
What is needed in the art is an enclosed hose reel capable of playing-out and rewinding a garden hose in a direction substantially perpendicularly to the front panel of the enclosure. The enclosure should be capable of permitting a hose to be played-out from and rewound onto a reel without placing undue sideways strain on the hose reel. The enclosure should be able to adapt to the hose being moved across the yard and changing angles with respect to the front panel of the enclosure.